Hope
by ilovemyflute1
Summary: "Ike," I whisper, "I love our kids, but I think we have to give them up." I feel Ike sitting straight up. "No Hype, we don't have too, I promise, just have a little bit of hope." He smiles. I look at him like a lost dog. "Hope can be defined in many ways, but I like the acronym for it. Hold on, pain ends," he quotes. "Promise me you will have hope?" "I promise," I smile.
1. Chapter 1

I knew my baby was coming as soon as I threw up on Race. I feel awful but I guess it is okay, Ike is right next to me.

"Just squeeze my hand when it hurts," he says as I nod. Star went to the ice cream shop to see if our friends were still there and sure enough they were. Now they stand next to me as I yell in pain.

"Hype, it is okay, just keep trying," Star coaxes me. Ike winces at how hard I've been squeezing his hand but he says he doesn't mind, I let go instantly. I smile a bit as Ella, Jasper and Elsie come in. I feel bad as I let out a loud shout, forgetting my kids are asleep in the nursery. Soon Smalls, Nicole and Mike come into the room too. I cringe a bit as I see how red Ike's hand is from when I squeezed it. I ask Ike to wipe my forehead and I get some sass with one of his smiles that can melt butter. I hear my friends cheer me on as I try to push harder, thought I was done an hour ago. Ella whispers something to Sketch as she turns around to answer her. I don't pick much of it up but I do make a sassy remark. A few minutes later, Star comes in and cringes a little but stands her ground.

"Cole is a bit hungry." She starts as Ike immediately directs her to the correct place in the kitchen. Ella quickly and quietly excuses herself as I hear our front door shut. My attention span is cut short by Nicole's voice giving me happy news.

"Okay, Hype, I think just one last good push and you get to see your baby." Nicole smiles, "Ready?" I nod and push as hard as I can, not caring how loud I am. Soon, she comes back and pulls in chair as they all sit silently around me.

"Hype," Ella says softly a few minutes later, "I know you're trying to have a kid here, but you're going to end up waking all of Manhattan."

"Can't be that loud, what is it eight a night?" I ask as our clock chimes in response, starting with a honey rich melody.

"Okay, our clock made a noise, calming and peaceful, but really what time is it?" Ike asks.

"Three o'clock," I gripe.

"Morning or…" he starts.

"Morning genius," I snap, "Sorry guys, you can go home if you want. Or sleep here."

"A baby is worth it," Sketch smiles.

"Whatever," I sigh as I push again, trying my hardest. I'm sweating and most likely red as I cringe as I concentrate.

"You're doing good Hype, keep going," Star smiles. Soon a small wail fills the room and we all get silent. Ike slowly walks over to the crowd and then his jaw drops. Davey looks at Ike in a semi defiant way as he slowly speaks.

"Hype, I'm …" Ike starts slowly, and then he walks out the front door. Davey goes to chase him down as I lay my head back on the pillows. Sketch slowly cuts the cord as I have to squint a little to see the small formation of my beautiful newborn baby. It's beautiful, bloody and it has a lot of Ike's blonde hair. I think Elsie comes into the room and sinks behind her sister as I start to ask if it's a boy or a girl, but I can't because I'm screaming again. Sketch tells me to calm down as she forces a smile at me and I can tell.

"So," I start, "is it a boy or a girl."

"Hype, I…" Star trails off.

"The kid isn't dead is it?" I start; I pick up a pillow and slam it into my face as I start crying. Nicole and Star come to where I see them clearly through my tear stained eyes.

"Hype, just calm down and push," Ella says.

"But the baby is already." I start.

"Hype, listen to us, just push." Nicole sighs.

"Fine but I don't see why," I start screaming again.

"Hype, first off, the baby's is not dead," Ella smiles.

"Can you tell me if it's a boy or a girl?" I ask. I think for a second and add the most persuasive tool I can think of right now. May not work with my friends, but it's worth a try. "Please?" I ask with a small voice with a puppy dog face.

"Hype, I really think Ike should tell you," Sketch comments, holding the newborn at the other side of the room where I can't determine its gender from sight.

"Well, where is he?" I ask, clutching my stomach once again. Davey opens the door for a floor gazing Ike to enter the apartment.

"I can't tell her Davey," he tries to reason.

"At least try to tell her," Davey says in reply.

"Think she already found out," Ike mutters.

"How," Davey explodes, "by the ear piercing screams or the constant pushing?"

"Doesn't matter, and fine, I'll tell her even if she already knows," Ike scoffs.

"Go," Davey starts, giving him a little push into our bedroom as his wife, six women and two broad shouldered men stand still, Ike moves swiftly, sitting on the opposite end of the bed. He gives the small group in our room a look that says we wish to be alone, and I don't mind. I wince as Sketch takes my newborn baby out of the room but Ike quickly retrieves it. I smile as Ike comes back in with the baby and he mischievously locks the door. He hands the baby girl to me as I sigh in relief.

"She's beautiful," I whisper.

"Little Bella," Ike murmurs to the baby as I look at him.

"Bella means beautiful in Italian," he explains, "Actually, I was thinking of naming her Bella Grace."

"So we give a dollar to Ella?" I ask, remembering the baby naming session, the person who gave the name we picked for the baby got a dollar. "I gave the name Grace; do I get a dollar too?"

"You got a baby girl, I think that's enough." He smiles as he kisses my cheek.

"I love you," I whisper as he repositions himself. He takes a deep breath and begins with his thoughts, not all of them though.

"Hype," he says quietly, "we are having another kid."

"Of course we are," I scoff as I look down at Bella. He doesn't say anything as I look up at him in astonishment. He gives me a sly smile as I stare at him in shock.

"Surprise," he says weakly.

"What ever happened to one and done? No offence to Cole," I reason. "Ike, what happened?"

"I don't know, I guess I got a little carried away…" he trails off. His train of thought gets lost as I have contractions to another kid. Exhausted enough, I push as hard as I can, which isn't much but I really feel like falling asleep.

"Hype, don't try too hard, just take it easy." Ike says, trying to calm me.

"Because being in labor is defiantly easy," I mutter. Ike goes to unlock the door as I scream into a nearby pillow. It blocks the sound some, but I have no doubt if you can hear it outside. Sketch, Nicole, Star and Smalls come in slowly as they see me having another kid. It's a shock to them as it is to me as Ike delivers this one, and he smiles broadly as he sees it's a boy. Davey, Ella, Jasper and Elsie come in after the second child is delivered; Ella and Jasper seem to be frowning for some reason as Elsie makes a quick escape for the nursery. Wouldn't blame them though, it's at least four in the morning now, and the clock chimes to prove me right.

"Hype, it's a boy," Star smiles. I let out a squeal and thank my lucky star not only in the sky but the star next to me. It makes me wonder if the star I wished on was out tonight. Sketch lazily exits the room with Davey, taking him by the hand.

"So what is his name?" Ike asks, directing all eyes on me. "I mean, I got to name Bella, so, you can name the boy."

"Well, Star knew I wanted a boy so I think I'll name him Luke William." I smile, seeing heads nod for approval. For too long, Nicole's concerned face expression seemed dull, now she's bright and bubbly as she gets an idea.

"Hype, two kids born on the same day, they don't look alike, but…" she speculates, getting lost in her thoughts.

"Fraternal twins," Mike finishes her thought as she nods.

"Four kids," I gasp to Ike.

"Oh God," he says sarcastically. "What the heck did I do?"

"That is what I'm wondering," I say mischievously, forcing a smile.

"Is there anything we can do before the sun rises?" Star asks.

"Leave," I reply instantly with fake sass. "I'm tired, I want to go to bed and wake up whenever I want."

"Too late," Smalls points out as they point to the main room. Mike and Nicole wave as they start to their apartment, most likely to fall asleep in a heap of happiness. Sketch is curled up in a fetal position as Davey's wrapped around her as a blanket covers both of them. They are out cold, asleep on the floor; surely they will have a rude awakening as I imagine Sketch cringing as Davey pops his knuckles. The main room isn't the best place to fall asleep though, but I've never tried it. I imagine Elsie asleep on the floor in the nursery and smile. Ike tours the house an hour later, carefully not to wake anyone as he comes back. Smalls tells me she was going to crash back in the lodging house, if she could make it, and she was pretty determined.

"Davey and Sketch are, well, you know. Ella, Elsie, Bella, Cole and Luke are now asleep in the nursery. Mike, Nicole and Smalls left, but you knew that already. Star is now asleep with a few pillows and a blanket in the bathtub. Jasper went to the kitchen for a snack and fell asleep in a chair." Ike smirks, sliding into a fresh bed with me. As everyone started to doze off, Ike changed the bed sheets and switched on the ceiling fan, opening a few windows too. I start to doze, but is instantly awakened as the clock now strikes six in the morning. I groan in protest as I look at the slip of paper Ike wrote the kids' names on, the date and time they were born. Bella at three fifteen; Luke at four ten; I'm too tired to think of anything else that occurred today or yesterday, considering I puked on Race's shoes. Yet, I find myself falling asleep under warm covers with my husband next to me with the perfect amount of sunlight filtering through the windows, just enough light to give me a little hope.


	2. Chapter 2

***Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I just had a really hard time figuring out what would come after the birth of the twins, so this is what I came up with. (With the help of Quigglestein too)

"Lucy, what in the world is wrong?" Ike asks me, giving a questioning look. He goes to the nursery as I shrug my shoulders and prepare a bottle for the twins and let Cole dig in our cherry jar. He's the only one that likes them that I know of; we don't know why either, to us, they are disgusting. Ike goes up to his little girl and calms her down as she explains in her outside voice. She's in the nursery and I'm in the kitchen on opposite sides of the apartment; that's what you get for being a newsie, you get to be loud.

"Kill it, Kill it, I want it gone now." She whines, motioning to what seems to be her right.

"We aren't getting rid of the twins Lucy, you're going to have to get used to it." He says. I come in and slowly pick up a restless Bella as she dives deeper into my arms. I whisper 'hush little baby' to her as Ike comments we'd have to be rich o get all of the kids all of what's in the song.

"I don't mean the twins Daddy," she whines, "there's a bug under my bed. Kill it."

"Use your manners Lucy, say please." He scolds.

"Ike, just kill the stupid bug." I sass, not knowing it.

"Hype," he sasses back, "use your manners."

"Ike, kill the damn bug." I half shout separating each word as Lucy takes my side.

"Hey now, no cussing in front of the kids," he cautions me. As he directs his attention back to Lucy I mimic him when he's not looking. Lucy tries hard not to smile but Ike knows something's up as I'm still mimicking him as he turns around. I immediately stop and apologize, then when he turns back, I'm mimicking him again.

"Okay, fine. Lucy," he directs, "point to where the bug is."

"Daddy" she giggles, "I told you, it's under my bed."

"Right," he mutters, moving the bed slightly causing the bug to make a mad dash for safety as Lucy and I squeal as it rushes past. He carefully walks towards it, cornering it as we know Daddy's doing to squish it. "Oh come on, it's just a little roach." He sighs, he stomps on it harshly. "There, gone, dead, nonexistent, deceased, and lifeless, now resting in peace."

"With its intestine on your shoes," I comment, making a sour face.

"Your mean," Lucy giggles.

"One showed up Ike," I say semi playfully. "There could be more."

"Come on, Sketch and Davey are waiting for us in the Park, we'll be late if we don't leave soon." He smiles at me as I put Bella back. "Oh, Lucy, Star's coming by to take care of you and Cole. The twins will be at the Landlady's."

"But Daddy, I left Mr. Snuggles over there." She whines.

"Okay little lady," he says sternly, "you know that you're not allowed to take Mr. Snuggles anywhere but here; plus, you just lied because Mr. Snuggles is sleeping with Cole." He gently takes it out of the bear out of Cole's crib and gives it to Lucy, whose face lit up like a Christmas tree. There's a knock on the door, which means Star is here as Ike calls me to the bedroom. I tell her about mimicking Ike as she laughs.

"Hype, get in here," he shouts.

"I'm coming," I yell back.

"He sounds mad, are you sure you want to go tonight?" Star questions.

"He's just upset because we're going to be late." I mutter.

"Hype, hurry up." He yells.

"I said I'm coming," I shout. "He hates to be late, which I kind of understand, and he's upset because I said the word 'damn' in front of the kids. He thinks they will pick up on it.

"They may," she starts.

"Hype, get in here now." He shouts his loudest.

"Ike, shut up, you're going to wake Cole." I yell.

"Then get in here," he retorts.

"I look fine already," I chided.

"Then be at the door in five minutes," he shouts.

"Then hurry up will you?" I yell. I glance over at Star who gives an uncertain look. "He'll be okay later," I mutter, mostly to myself. I lead her to the nursery as Lucy greets her somewhat coldly. "Star, who do you want to take care of, because the others are going to the landlady's." I say.

"I kind of want to take care of the twins," she says uncertainty. "Can I?"

"Sure do what you want." I say, picking up Cole. I ask Lucy and her to follow me to the door to say our goodbyes. Apparently, Ike wanted us to color coordinate with each other.

"Aren't we a great couple?" I smirk at him, taking his hand.

"Match made in Heaven," he mutters, mostly to himself.

"Okay, bye, have fun, and don't get to intimate tonight, I don't want to have to take care of a fifth kid in the future, "Star smiles, pushing us out the door. As we step into the street, I swear she locked the door preventing us to come back. We wordlessly walk to the Landlady's with Lucy and Cole and she opens the door gratefully.

"We'll be back in three hours maybe four," I think.

"It's fine, Hype, really, have a great time." She smirks at me.

"Bye." Ike thanks her as we walk to the park.

"Lucy's right, your mean," I playfully punch him in the arm as we walk.

"Whatever," he mutters playfully as he side hugs me as we walk.

"Oh look," I point out, "there's Sketch and Davey, at least I think."

"It is, Sketch is wearing blue," he smirks.

"Everything she wears is blue," I laugh, "it's her favorite color."

"You look great in blue too," he whispers.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" I smile at him. He shakes his head as my jaw drops a little. "It's because I can't, there isn't one word in the universe that describes how much I love you."

"Your sweet," he smirks, pulling me in for a long lingering kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

*Sorry for taking so long, and because I have so much to do I'll usually post every weekend (most likely on a Friday) So, don't be mad at me and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

"Ike," I yell to the kitchen, he comes bounding in as I sit up a little more. He stares at me for a second and then I say something. "I'm bored."

"So, do you want me to listen or fix it?" he asks.

"Fix it," I whine. He walks over to me, shoves his hands in his pockets and sits next to me on the bed.

"Aren't you supposed to be selling?" I shake my head, not today anyways, Star is doing something with Blink because they haven't really gotten any alone time because they stay at the Lodging house. Fine by me, I could sleep if I wanted. Not really, every twenty minutes, someone in this house starts crying no joke. "Okay, let's see, cures for boredom, what to do…" he smirks, trailing off. "Truth or Dare?" he offers. I shake my head not in the mood to do anything really; I just need someone to talk too. "Would you rather?" he suggests. I smile really big as thinks of something, but I already know a good one. It's like he read my mind, sort of.

"So," I smirk.

"Nothing dirty," he cuts in.

"Shoot," I mutter as he playfully rolls his eyes, wrapping his arms around me. "Anyways, would you rather be able to reduce hours of needed sleep to five or need ten hours of sleep and be able to control your dreams?"

"Some of my dreams can be very creepy on account of that one single time you read Dracula to me, and I love to stay up to talk to you. So, I'd reduce the hours off needed sleep to five hours." He smiles, leaning down to kiss me as I smile broadly.

"Okay, then you ask me one." I cut in.

"I know how to play 'Would you rather, I'm thinking too" he laughs.

"How long is that going to take?" I smirk.

"I got a good one," he says as I playfully roll my eyes. "Would you rather rid your life of embarrassing moments or awkward ones?"

"Oh Gosh," I laugh, "Well, I love awkward moments because they are so funny, but I also like my embarrassing moments because they are what makes me myself. But if I had to get rid of something, it'd be my awkward moments."

"So," he says slowly, "what is the most awkward moment you could think of?"

"Okay, so one time I was with my brother when we were like six. Anyways the only thing I really wanted for Christmas, I really didn't care what I wanted, but I loved wrapping paper, anyways, I got a really big box on Christmas, my only present. It was like wrapped by at least twenty rolls of wrapping paper, and someone slapped a bow on it. So like, I was really excited so I tore through all the wrapping paper to get to the box and my Dad opened the rest for me because he didn't trust me with his pocketknife yet."

"Smart man," Ike whispers. I ignore him but keep talking.

"So I finally opened the box and I got an extremely ugly holiday sweater and there were tears and my parents had no idea what was wrong. It was pretty bad." I finish.

"But you said you wanted wrapping paper." Ike comments.

"True, but I wanted to wrap something with wrapping paper and as a kid I got really into ripping paper to shreds so basically, the only thing I got for Christmas that year was a box, in which my mom threw out for no reason, useless wrapping paper that was also thrown anyway, a bright blue bow almost as big as my face and a really ugly sweater." I laugh.

"Did you know who gave you the gift?" he asks, I shake my head.

"It said from the family so I couldn't really blame anyone in particular." I say.

"I'd get rid of all my embarrassing moments because when I was a kid, like maybe seven. I wanted to be a pirate because we lived near the shore line of Flushing." He states.

"Flushing," I giggle as he pokes me in the side.

"So like, for almost my entire childhood I wanted to be a pirate because they have really cool eye patches and swords. So for like, my thirteenth birthday, I told my Dad I didn't want to be a pirate and so for my birthday, he got me a pirate costume like five sizes too big and he made me wear it for the rest of the day." He sighs, remembering everything.

"Flushing," I giggle again as I avoid him poking me again.

"Hey now, you fell in love with me so, you fell in love with a guy from Flushing so, that's that," he smirks, kissing me again and pulling me onto his lap.

"Would you rather," I start laughing, trying to control my laughter, "Change gender every time you sneeze or not be able to tell the difference between a muffin and a baby?" he strokes his chin as I laugh over the stupid sentence as he chooses the muffin option.

"You are horrible," I laugh in shock.

"I love muffins," he testifies.

"That is cannibalism if you what your baby, I'm going to have to watch what you put in your mouth now," I laugh.

"Would you rather change your name or appearance?" he asks as he twirls my hair.

"Not sure, but I think I'd change my appearance, like I love the way I look, but I always wanted to be a little bit taller." I say. "Because I have to like, stand on my toes to hug you, you have at least a few inches on me."

"I'm five eight," he testifies.

"That explains why," I note.

"Do me," Ike says, as he combs my hair with his fingers.

"No way, you're nasty," I say making a gag face.

"Hype you're so weird," he laughs.

"Would you rather be the oldest sibling or the youngest? Wait, you're the youngest in your family right?" I ask.

"I'm the baby of the family, Mike's the middle child and Elsa's the oldest." Ike answers. "I really like being the baby of the family because they think everything you do is perfect or cute."

"I'm the youngest too, my brother was like, the serious, professional type of boy that always had a goal or something set for him and onetime I told him his lifestyle was so boring and he needed to have fun. I was technically his example of fun, but I usually got hurt and tore my stockings climbing trees." I state. "Can we do some more mature ones?"

"Sure, let's see. Would you prefer sex during the day or at night?" He smirks, as he sees my facial expression.

"Not _that _mature," I reply. "Good Lord what goes on in your brain?"

"You," he comments, "Let's skip that one."

"Great idea," I say sarcastically.

"So, would you rather be in a fight or be the cause?" he questions.

"I think I'd rather be in a fight because I've been in a lot, I was a pretty selfish child sometimes. Sketch told me that onetime Davey fought Oscar for her ad he got whooped badly, and she felt guilty about the fight for at least a week." I say, remembering our conversation.

"Well, that was fun," Ike smiles as we hear our beautiful clock chime. "Are you still bored?"

"Nope," I glow as he gets up from the bed. "Where are you going? Don't leave me," I yell sarcastically. He comes back in the bedroom a few minutes later with a handful of muffins. This can't be good.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hype, wake up," Ike says as he pokes me. I lazily look up at his white smile and turn over. "Look." He continues, "I know you haven't got much sleep this week but you need to wake up. And I need something for this bruise I have on the side of my leg." I take a deep breath and pull the covers over my head as Ike continues to wake me up. "Come on Hype," he says playfully, tickling me until I either wake up or die from laughter as I squirm away and eventually fall of the bed. "That's what you get," I hear Ike smirks as he throws a pillow at me.

"What are you doing?" I mutter as he tries to crawl on top of me to kiss me awake.

"Trying to wake you up," he smirks, he kisses me again and says Star's in the main room and she's going to kill me if I don't get up at this exact moment. I frown at him and tell him today's still young and it can only be what seven in the morning?

"It's um, eleven in the morning; Star kind of knew you wanted to sleep so she thought of selling in the afternoon." He says hesitantly.

"So, where's the kids?" I ask as I lazily stretch and go to the closet.

"Lucy, Cole and Luke are at the Landlady's" he comments as I look at him, trying to get a blouse off a hook.

"Where's Bella?" I say, coking my head to the side as I finally get the shirt loose.

"She's in the nursery," he replies. "She's sick remember?"

"She's not sick, she's just having allergies to something." I say, shooing Ike to the main room while I get dressed. As I finish getting dressed, there's a knock on our front door as Ike and I make a run for it.

"I want to open it," I whine.

"You always get to open it," Ike argues.

"Fine then, open the door." I grumble.

"No its okay, you can open the door," Ike sasses.

"Then why did you want to open the door?" I ask

"Because you always get to open the door," Ike comments.

"Do you want to open the door or shall I?" I continue.

"You're already at the door," he smiles.

"Fine then I'll open the door." I sass, most likely whoever is on the other side of the door must think we're being complete idiots right now. Star cuts n and opens the door as we see some stranger with brown hair only curly at the tips. Ike and I both notice her hand is slightly mangled.

"Hype," Star says, "it's for you." Moving out of the way, I come closer to the girl and I think I have a vague memory with her in it.

"Hi stranger," I say stupidly as she gives me a gentle smile. She cocks her head at me both ways and gives me a silly face.

"I'm looking for Mrs. O'Malley, is she here?" the girl asks nervously. I bite my lip as I think hard, trying to connect this girl with a memory.

"What?" I ask after a few minutes. "Oh, that's me. At least, I think." I call out for Ike as he comes to the door and smiles at our guest.

"Yes Hype." He asks cheekily as I roll my eyes.

"Never mind," I smile, turning back to the girl.

"Well, Hi," she smiles, "are you Hype O'Malley?" I give her an instant answer as I ask for her name maybe that will bring back the memory.

"Mary, but you may remember me as Minnie." She states. I shake my head as she continues. "You don't remember me do you? Well, it's okay; it's been what, seven or eight years?" Seven or eight years, then I really have no idea who this girl is unless she's had some awfully big impact I have no idea how she found me either. "Anyways, you may remember when I mangled my hand in the thread factory one day." I give her a giant grin because I know who she is now, surprisingly I didn't remember sooner. I hug her and feel tears lining my eyelids as I bring her into the main room with Star.

"Hype," Ike directs to me, "I'm going out for the day, see you at dinner."

"Oh wait, I kind of want to play would you rather tonight with our friends, because I loved playing it with you yesterday, do you think you could tell them? And if they come, tell them to bring some sort of food." I say as he heads out the door. I kiss him goodbye and go into the main room as Minnie tells Star how she knows me. Way different version thought, but I guess it's just her viewpoint. But the memory's coming back now I can tell. When I was seven, I think, I worked in a factory that made thread and one of my best friends, a year older than me, was injured by the machinery. That's why thread costs so little now, like a newspaper; people get injured to easy to make it. I never really knew her since we weren't allowed to talk but we came up with this secret language I guess you could call it. We got in trouble a lot though. But one day it was just a regular work day and I heard her scream from the other side of the room and she was bleeding heavily and crying. I haven't seen her since.

"So where do you live now?" I cut in, not realizing she just answered that exact question.

"Flushing, like, not near the water, but more in the center I guess," She responds. "I wanted to get as far away from that factory as money could take me."

"Oh, okay, Ike or Mike probably can figure out where you live. They lived in Flushing before they moved out so…" I say trailing off. "Did you walk here?"

"Oh no, I took the ferry, walking takes almost three and a half hours, maybe more." She smiles. "I brought a newspaper for you if you don't mind. It's from The World, but if you prefer the Journal or the Sun, I can figure out a way…"

"Oh good," Star smiles taking it from her, "an extra half cent, Hype, we can sell it easily." Minnie gives me a somewhat sad look as I explain what Star means.

"We sell for the World. We're newsies. I haven't been in a factory since…because…" I stammer. She looks downwards for a few seconds. "So what do you do now?"

"Oh, nothing really, I think I may be pregnant, it happened this morning, I think I blacked out and when I woke up, most off my clothes were shredded and I could barely walk. I don't know. There were these two boys that…" she says as I immediately cut her off. Delanceys no doubt probably brushed her in broad daylight. Might as well add one more person to their list, they both have now what more than five no doubt.

"How did you find me?" I ask hesitantly.

"Easy, when you're crippled, you can get sympathy from almost anyone. Then, they feel guilt for you and give you whatever. Anyways, I got fired from the factory the day…yea and I asked the manager or whatever he was your name. Then I came to the courthouse to see if they had anything on you, well, I'm guessing now your maiden name. They had your birth and marriage certificate, basically all your records there, you just have to ask. Then they found like, a tax bill which has your address on it and I tried my luck and came here." She simply states. Star and I give her a blank look as we both make funny faces.


	5. Chapter 5

"I can't wait for tonight," I gleam as at six o'clock everyone's coming to the apartment for some 'Would You Rather.' Ike answers the door as Sketch and Davey show up with Evan and Maggie. They don't do much but play with Lucy, Cole and now Bella and Luke. Walking into the main room, I see Minnie lying on the floor curled up into fetal position.

"You okay?" I ask handing her a glass of water. She slowly arouses herself and gradually takes the glass with her good hand.

"Just tired that's all, I promise." She smiles.

"I can't believe you found me," I laugh, "you didn't even know my name and it's almost eight years later."

"Well, you can get sympathy and sometimes what you want. Now, I don't know about what you remember, but you did tell me your name and for some reason, it just stuck with me," she says, gulping down the water, soon she's done and sets the glass on the floor.

"So how long will you be in Manhattan?"

"Just for today, but obviously more than that now."

"You can stay here!"

"Really?"

"You'd have to be in the main room, but we have a lot of bedding."

"Thank you so much."

"No problem really."

"Hype, can you get the door?" Ike yells from the nursery, putting Bella and Luke down, or at least trying too. I smile at our visitor, excusing myself to find Sketch, Davey, Nicole and Mike at the door; now only for everyone else. I motion to put food in the kitchen as I once again open the door to Star, Blink, Smalls and guess who else: Specs. Right, forgot that Smalls and Specs, this can't be good.

"Does anyone know where Ella, Jasper, Elsie and Les are?" I ask as I carefully knock on the door.

"No one has seen them for a few days." Sketch comments.

"Jasper hasn't been at the Lodging house," Les adds.

"How strange," I whisper, opening the door to see Star alone. No Blink, he doesn't like us, I think. He talks to Ike sometimes though, but he doesn't talk to me which suits me just fine.

"Try calling them," Minnie smiles, folding her hands on her lap. All heads turn as she repeats her statement. "You could call them, I'm sure they'd answer, maybe."

"How would I call them?" I ask to her. Minnie, she was always the odd one out in the factory, the odd one out now.

"Use the telephone," she says, pointing to something out of my view.

"The tele-what?" I ask as Star sits next to her.

"The telephone," she says slowly, "the thing you can talk to people with without leaving your apartment…"

"A tele-what," I repeated.

"Never mind," she smiles sweetly as I go to the kitchen and bring out a plate of muffins, or as Ike believes from a game of would you rather I had with him, children. I bet my life he'll use the muffin/baby option.

"So you may know why you're here," I smile, taking a seat on the floor next to Ike; unwrapping a blueberry muffin. "And you may not. Earlier today I got really bored so Ike and I played 'Would you rather,' so we will do that now. We'll go in a circle starting with Nicole and go clockwise."

"Oh, okay" she stammers, hating and regretting to be the person to start things off.

"And you can ask anyone, you just have to address them." I cut in; she gives me a small nod.

"Well then, Mike, if you ever got in a fight, would you get even with that person or get over it."

"Over it," he simply states as Nicole motions to the person on her right, who just so happens to be Sketch.

"Ike, would you rather be punished by your mom or disciplined by your dad?"

"Punished by mom," he reasons. "She doesn't get as mad. She just reads or talks and bakes muffins and stuff."

"Great way to describe your mother," I smile, mostly to myself.

"But like, Dad could be really uptight about something really stupid," he continues.

"Next." I butt in, "Davey go."

"This one's for Sketch. You'd still be with all your friends and me, but would you rather be a kid forever or an adult forever?"

"Tough one, but I'd have to say kid forever, just because, I have no idea." She says, reaching for another muffin.

"I'd rather be an adult forever with you," Davey smirks and we all know why because of that stuff, maturity wise.

"Hype," Ike addresses me, "would you rather kill off one person free of guilt and punishment or bring someone back to life?"

"Kill off Race," I say promptly.

"Looks like someone is a little hothead sometimes," Specs whispers as he side hugs Smalls. It make me feel awkward for some reason, I've never seen Smalls and Specs interact as the other's lover.

"Ike," I smirk making him cringe, "would you rather play spin the bottle and be the only male or play truth or dare and kiss a girl other than me," instant reaction of everyone laughing as he turns an even darker shade, cracking under the choices. A wave of silence hits us as we all notice Ike still hasn't chosen.

"Truth or Dare also known as interrogation or abuse." He whispers softly.

"Okay then Ike, I dare you to kiss," I pause, looking around at all the bright red cheeks and sly smiles, "kiss Sketch."

"We're playing would you rather," he protests as I notice how red Sketch and Davey are.

"Yes, you picked truth or dare, and I just dared you to kiss Sketch." I laugh, poking him.

"Fine," he mutters, crawling over to Sketch and pecking her cheek, then crawling back. She grows very red from embarrassment as Davey gives Ike a death threat in which we all know is a lie. We love each other way too much.

"Yes, a new rumor at the Lodging House," Specs blurts out randomly.

"Davey you okay?" I ask as I see his face beet red.

"Ike you will die." He smiles.

"Anyways, Specs go." I cut in.

"Smalls, would you go back in time a hundred years and meet your ancestors or go into the future to meet your great grandchildren?"

"Future, because that just sounds amazing." She smiles. "And also because I know what would happen to my family tree. Minnie, would you rather be good at something you hate or bad at something you love?"

"Bad at something I love, because if I love it I would want to get better at it," she replies, "hey Star, would you not be able to tell the difference between a muffin and a baby or change gender every time you sneeze?"

"I wanted to ask that," Ike shouts, shoving muffins in his face as everyone looks at him.

"Muffin children," Star exclaims excitedly, "good thing I didn't have any tonight." We stare at Ike again, who ate at least ten. Silence as I try to figure out if everyone got a turn.

"Who hasn't gone?" I ask. No show of hands, of course, no one kept track if they asked anything. "Specs, did you go…?" he nods. "Anyone want any muffins?"

"No way, not after the muffin/baby option," Sketch smiles as Davey grabs a few more causing everyone to laugh.

"Well then, that was fun and interesting," I say, "now get out I'm going to bed."

"Hype-" Ike objects, too late, because I slam my bedroom door shut and crash before he ever said anything else.


	6. Chapter 6

I look down at Lucy for another second and she's gone. Nervously, I venture to the edge of the dock and mental beat myself up letting her sell with us. I'm a nervous wreck now, scarred she fell in the water- she can't swim yet and may already be dead.

"Star," I gasp, grabbing her shoulder turning her away from the people wanting to buy her papes. "I can't find Lucy!"

"You mean you lost her?" Ike yells at me, I'm loud when I don't even know it and even louder when I'm panicking. I nod slightly, tears tumbling down my face. Ike's expression gets slightly softer and gives me a reassuring hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hello? Hype," Star complains tapping me on the shoulder, "your daughter is missing, let's go find her!"

"How could we find one little girl," I plead.

"How could we not? You guys trained her to be a newsie, and she knows that if she can't find us, she will yell loudly." Ike reasons, "Like the time we were at the market and Lucy stopped to get a rock out of her shoe so she screamed until she cried?" I nod my head slowly as Ike takes off his shirt and stuffs his pocket watch in his hat and hands it too me.

"Where are you going?" I call out as he stands on the edge of the dock.

"Going for a swim," he winks at me, causing me and Star to giggle as we still have to find her. Ike crawls to shore as he shrugs his shoulders, and then swings his hair back and forth; ridding the excess water from his hair and we know his pants are most likely ruined.

"What are we going to do?" I yell, "I just lost a three year old little girl."

"We can ask the cops," Ike suggests.

"There too busy with robberies and such," Star whispers.

"I think someone just stole our child," I say harshly as Ike tries to calm me down.

"Hype, just breathe."

"That's like me having another kid."

"Now that's just cold."

"I know I'm cold now."

"We're wasting time," I yell, thinking of all the places she could have wandered off too. She knows not too and if she screams, we know her location. But maybe she did scream and we were just too far to hear her. Maybe she's safe and sound with the landlady, or at Central Park with Jasper and Ella. I go through all the option again as I hear a menacing laugh from behind me and I turn around sharply, spotting a tip of a bowler and a pair of little girl shoes. Delanceys no doubt I think, my face inflaming at the thought they should just die at the refuge. "Ike, Star, I think I found her," I say, running in the direction I heard the laugh, forgetting the newspapers, we only had two left anyways, today was the best headline we've had in possibly a few years. I reach the spot immediately, the scan the area for the alleyways. Hearing smooth singing from the left, I walk nervously down the alley with Ike and Star following closely behind me. I turn the tiny corner and see Morris singing softly; braiding her hair as she rocks back and forward on her feet, not caring about the world around her at least he hasn't bashed her skull just yet. I take one step before I freeze in fear.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a deep voice says over my shoulder. Oscar of course, who else?

"Why do you have my child?" I question him sternly.

"You said it yourself kid, you have four and only wanted two."

"Maybe I changed my mind."

"Maybe you should change it again."

"Why did you take her anyways? Go make love to Lavender or something; I can't believe she isn't pregnant anyways."

"Can't sorry, its Morris's week, and the next I plan to make it count. And also because your daughter is real cute, I want one."

"Well Oscar," I smile sweetly turning around to see his smug face. Have I grown taller? I used to be at his chest, now his shoulders. "You're not going to get one by me."

"Who's stopping me?"

"Me," Ike whimpers as Star punches Morris hard, he shakes it off and continues to braid Lucy's long hair. We've never cut it in her life and she never stays still at all, not even in her sleep.

"You can take her anyways," Morris whispers, hugging her slightly as she runs up to Daddy; of course, she's daddy's little girl no competition.

"Morris!" Oscar yells at him.

"She's no good anyways, she'd scream too and you know how little girls scream." Morris sighs.

"I remember the terror scream you let out at home when I pretend to punch you with brass knuckles." Oscar retorts.

"Can we discuss your childhood some other time because Lucy needs to take her nap," I smile sweetly.

"Not in that hairstyle," Morris objects, "it took me ten minutes."

"So Lucy was technically used as bait?" I ask stupidly, Oscar nods slightly.

"Bye," Ike chimes as I motion him to follow me to the landlady's to pick up the other children, Star in a tow. She smiles as she gets to carry the twins as Cole's in my arms and Lucy is on Ike's shoulders. Setting them down gently in the nursery, we sneak back to the kitchen for food.

"So what have you learned about little Lucy today?" I ask as I pull food from the cabinets.

"I know how you react when you lose her," Star laughs as I give her a smug look.

""Well, I learned that she has a short attention span, like really, really short; and goes wherever she wants when someone lifts her." Ike suggests shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just happy we found her."

"Same," I reply, "Her attention span is slight, like you."

"Hey now," he objects as Star blushes for him.

"Anyways, I need to get to the lodging house; Blink and I are going on a date later." Star sighs, "Why can't he just propose or something?"

"Ike never proposed did you?" I ask him, he shrugs.

"Have you seen Jasper and Ella today? They're usually in their tree, but Race has been coming to the lodging house whining that they aren't there," Star comments.

"We haven't seen them," Ike comments.

"I haven't seen Ella, but I have seen her sister earlier." I respond.

"They'll come around soon enough, what did you think they did run off and get married?" Ike laughs.

"Maybe so," I whisper as I lead Star to the door and catch a glimpse of Ike calling me to the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey Hype," Ike asks coming into the bedroom; smiling at me as I brush out my somewhat curly hair as I get ready for today. "Can I ask you something?"

"We are not having another kid," I say turning around sharply.

"Wasn't going to ask that, but thank you for the idea," he smirks.

"That was not an idea," I smile, looking back towards the mirror.

"Anyways, I was wondering if we could go out tonight, just the two of us. No Sketch, no Davey, just me and you." He says, wearing a seductive smile.

"And I'm guessing the harbor and wherever we get dinner." I add as he nods.

"Why aren't you selling with Star today?"

"No one can find Jasper and Ella and it's been a few days so…" I trail off, clipping a tiny bow in my hair.

"So we can start early!"

"This scares me but okay."

"Are we actually going to find Jasper and Ella?"

"Probably stuck in a tree, on a train, wait, then why haven't we slept in?" I groan slamming the brush on the dresser by accident. I start picking at my short, stubby nails –from my notorious biting my nails habit- as he begins to talk.

"Because it's already two in the afternoon and you did sleep in, until ten." He smiles cheekily, "Star would have killed you." Right, because she hates the fact that she has to come over every morning to pick me up and I'm usually still asleep. "Anyways, we haven't had lunch yet do you want to go somewhere or eat here."

"We can eat here, don't really have anything good; need to go grocery shopping. Save some money." I say, walking past him into the kitchen.

"Oh, I want to mention something to you." He calls out.

"Shoot," I say, then pause. "Not-not me, just speak. I won't interrupt."

"Okay, well, happy anniversary!"

"Oh my gosh, happy Anniversary to me too," I smile.

"It's not really our anniversary; it's just really cute when you get excited." He laughs, poking me in the side.

"Jerk," I mutter mostly to myself as I pull everything out of the kitchen cabinet as I give Ike a cheeky smile before he goes to the nursery to retrieve the kids.

…

"I'm so glad we did this," I smile, taking him hand in hand after taking the children to the landlady's - we worked out a schedule for babysitting. Star always likes to watch the twins, which is good, because I think something happened that made Lucy drift away from Star, which is actually pretty sad if you think about it. We reach the dock out of breath and he sits me in his canoe. He steps in to and sits as he rows us to our place under the pier, for all we know, we are the only ones who know how to reach it. This date has been somewhat horrid in a funny way as when we had cake for dessert Ike tried to feed me by putting small morsels on a plastic spoon and aiming it to my mouth. We got kicked out because of that but we don't care. And neither do they, as they let us back in as soon as they cleaned up the mess. Guiltily, we go back and finish the cake, tipping a little extra than normal. We ride in the boat for a long time as we find ourselves in his tiny rowboat seeing the beautiful Statue of Liberty in front of a gorgeous pink sunset. Sitting in awe as we watch the sun set over the horizon, Ike slowly takes my hand as I lightly blush, the bright pink matching that sunset.

"Quick Ike!" I yell, "follow that sunset!"

"Why?"

"because I just always wanted to scream that."

"Really?"

"Really."

"For sure?"

"For sure, now let's get back to the pier; I want to do something special."

"On one condition, I don't end up pregnant with a sixth child."

"That is so not happening," he jokes.

"Good, factory's closed. It's been closed since Cole was born."

"Then how did u have Bella and Luke?"

"Ask yourself Mister I'm going to have another child my wife never knew about until she threw up." I laugh as he grabs a handful of water and throwing it at me.

"Give it up," he laughs as I hit him in the face with water and seaweed.

"Then take us back to the pier," I laugh, throwing one last handful at him as it looks like he went to the bathroom in his pants. He shrugs it off as we both know the truth, but tonight we both know what's next. "What time is it anyways?"

"Almost eleven," he replies as we wordlessly ride back as the wave's rock us back and forth a little.

"Are you serious?" I gasp, hearing a church belle proves Ike right. Three and a half hours, to walk from the Lodging house and a boat. It's worth it though, we didn't have to pay for a ferry, making the night a little more personal. Star is going to kill me now, at least she's with kids that don't do anything but eat, sleep, cry and perform other bodily functions. We sit on the coast, feet in the water seconds later as we draw a giant heart and put our names in it. Looking distorted, we laugh as a soft wave takes it away. When I least expect it, Ike throws a handful of ocean water in my face.

"Ike, no." I plead, "I don't want to go home wet."

"We're both still wet from earlier," he smiles, tossing more at me, as its splashes against my face as I laugh then sputter.

"Okay, then." I say mischievously, "we'll play that way."

"I can't believe you just said that," he smirks at me, tossing more water at me.

"Ike I'm freezing," I say one hour later, drenched to the bone. I'm not really freezing and he knows that. It's almost September I think, not really keeping track of days and yet I sell for a newspaper, and I have to ask at least fifty times a day what day is it.

"Same, what do you want to do?" he replies, pulling me in for a hug.

"Ooh, we could run into each other like people do when they're in love and haven't seen each other in a long time," I say excitedly.

"What?"

"It happens a lot in the moving pictures," I reason.

"Great let's try it. So how do we do it?"

"Well, we run to a certain point," I say, dragging my feet to make a circle in the sand, a few feet away from the water. "So, right here, and so I just basically leap into your arms and smother me in kisses or vice versa."

"Works for me, so how far away do we have to run?"

"I don't really know let's say a few yards from this circle?"

"Great." He says as we run a few yards and smiles at me. "Ready?"

"Go!" I yell.


	8. Chapter 8

We run straight past each other and we both know this as we stop and turn around with funny looks.

"What happened?" I yell.

"Let's try again," he yells running out of breath as he hugs me when I least expect it, pinning me down and smothering me with kisses, though I think I'm bleeding through my nose. It hurts, but I'm pretty sure I haven't broken it. I put my hands to my face to avoid his kisses, but he just does it more as I laugh.

"We are so not getting into the moving pictures," I laugh as he finally finished sitting where we landed, Ike's arms around me.

"I kind of figured," I laugh holding my nose and flinging my head back.

"Hype, you're bleeding," he exclaims, "are you okay?"

"Oh, no, I just like bleeding for fun," I reply sarcastically.

"Is there anything I can do to make you happy? Another boat ride, I've got all night." He smiles, kissing my cheek and rocking me like a baby every so often. I don't answer, causing him to shake me a little.

"I think my nose stopped," I smile as I give him a quick kiss.

"Great, so what do you want to do?" he asks as he helps me stand.

"Not sure," I speculate. "But I—"

"Have you ever had sex in a boat?" he cuts me off, motioning to the canoe.

"No," I pause slowly, getting up from the ground. "Have you?"

"Just an idea," he pauses, smiling cheekily.

"Well," I say slyly, "wouldn't want to get our clothes wet."

"Hype, Hype, Hype," Ike shouts at me louder every time he says my name.

"What?" I say, jolting awake, accidently striking him in the jaw and rocking the boat to the left, causing it to almost capsize, this scares me considering I'm half asleep and because of me, it capsizes. Making us both fall in the ice cold water. It paralyzes me for a few minutes, "Ike?" I scream freaking out he got hit with the boat or anything because I can't find him. He flips the boat over and climbs back in as he holds his hand out. I was right, we didn't get our clothes wet I think as I smirk and take his hand.

"Oh, sorry," I whisper as I climb back in, "Yes?"

"Guess what today is," he asks excitedly, not caring I dumped both of us in ice water. "It's my birthday!" Blank staring at him for a few minutes before I come into focus, I shake my head, not believing I forgot his birthday.

"So, how old are you today?" I ask stupidly. I got hit in the head by the boat as I rub the back of my head. I'm pretty sure I hit my head on the side of the boat before it dumped us.

"Age is but a number," he says, poking me in the side as I giggle awkwardly.

"And a jail cell is just a room," I say with a straight face, then bursting into laughter. "So then what's today?" I ask as I give him a quick birthday kiss and rough up his beautiful blonde hair.

"September seventh, "He replies, giving me a cheeky grin as if I hadn't noticed, we're both naked from having sex in a boat last night. Oh well, if there's anything I've learned from him, it's that the first time is always awkward and if you've never done it before, do it.

"Are you serious?" I explode, "whenever I wrote anything I wanted to put a date on I put June…or July."

"Why? How is it even possible when you sell newspapers that have the date on them?" he asks as he knows I've been secretly working on scrapbook for the kids and our friends and stuff, not really a scrapbook it just has a few drawings and a bunch of cute quotes and sassy remarks for Race. So it's basically a multipurpose thing when I'm not busy which isn't very often. Ike helps me with it sometimes as he has better handwriting than me but I don't mind, not a lot of people can read mine. It's abnormal because a lot of people I know have good calligraphy but mine is just like…crud. I'm just impatient for waiting ink to dry,

"No one cares about the day unless it's an important event, like if Roosevelt died or got sick or we had a war or something economically troubling." I explain using my hands, I don't ever realize I use my hands when I talk, but Ike says I do it a lot so, good for me?

"Should we go back?" he asks. Last night, Sketch and Davey had sex in their mulberry tree and a honeysuckle bush and Race caught them, now tormenting him forever. It makes me wonder how they can leave their apartment. But if they can't leave their apartment what would they do in the bedroom? I shrug off the thought as Ike gives me one of his signature smiles.

"Yea I guess, good thing we hid our clothes," I smile, "did you know that Jasper and Ella got married?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Were you supposed to tell?"

"No."

"Then why did you?"

"Because I never keep anything from you."

"I guess that's true, but did they want us to know that?"

"All of us will know pretty soon."

"Where did you hear it from?"

"Sketch," I say as we reach our special place under the dock. You can see the sun set perfectly and it's always so beautiful, that is if I could actually get up to watch it with Ike. I feel bad when he says he watches it and I'm not there.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asks as he dresses, I do the same.

"It's your birthday," I state, "how about we go home and I make you a birthday cake. What's your favorite flavor?"

"I wasn't exactly thinking that," he says in a seductive tone as he hugs me. "But I do like chocolate cake."


	9. Chapter 9

"Well that was entertaining," I gripe as Ike holds my hand as we push the stroller of kids home. I put them all down for a nap until I meet Ike in the bedroom.

"I guess so..." he whispers as he burns with anger. "We learned that Jasper and Ella got married."

"And everyone knows we went skinny dipping a few days ago." I snap as I flop on my side of the bed. "We're ruined just like Sketch and Davey."

"How is that?" Ike asks as he carefully sits on the bed next to me and strokes my hair.

"Race said he saw the having sex in a honeysuckle bush." I groan as I flip over.

"It's not so bad actually-"he starts as he wraps his arm around me.

"Not bad? No, of course it's not bad, the idea was stupid and we were being sexually sassy and a bunch of other "S" words were going through our heads too." I snap as I dig my face into his chest. He eases out a sigh and begins to say something but doesn't, but that's ok with me.

"I like what Sketch said," he laughs a little while curling my hair.

"What was it she said again?" as I turn to look at him.

"Bitching," he quotes, "running your mouth; jumping to conclusions and pushing your luck."

"Oh yea, that was funny, I've never seen Race so embarrassed in his life." I laugh; breathing in his scent and wait before I say anything. "I'm sorry about your birthday."

"It's okay, really," he sighs, "it just means I'm getting older with you because you Mrs. Hype will be sixteen this month." I roll my eyes at this then think back a few days ago when we went skinny dipping for his birthday. Some present, but Race caught us somehow and just killed the mood. He cat called us out. He never does that, I mean he does it to Jasper and Ella the most, and I feel bad for them, I do but Race also cat calls Sketch and Davey and now they will probably never leave their apartment, so now what? I don't know.

"I don't want to be sixteen," I mutter.

"You think I asked to be eighteen?" he laughs.

"Maybe," I whisper remembering my little motto when I was six maybe? It was I think "I can't wait to grow up!" When I said this I didn't realize it would be that I would actually grow up and leave all that I've known in a different state. I didn't know it would realize my parents would die either, but some things just happen for a reason. Everything happens for a reason and everyone you meet will have at least one impact on your life one way or another. Like Minnie for example, she want home a week before Ike's birthday, we haven't seen each other for over five years, this girl didn't even know my name or who I was and she found me.

"Hey Hype," Ike asks as he strokes my hair even more, he gets up for a second to turn on the fan and slides back next to me, but this time he kicks off the covers,.

"Yes Ike," I reply almost asleep. Our little clock in the main hall chimes some and I'm too lazy to count the hours, but I'm pretty sure it's at least six o'clock.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" he asks. I know what he's doing and we added the saying into our little book of stuff so I play along.

"No," I smile.

"It's because I can't, there isn't one word in this world that can describe how much I love you." He smiles. Somehow we finally arouse ourselves and get something to eat as Ike awakes the kids from their extra-long slumber and i bring food into the nursery, promising to clean up later so there wouldn't be any more bugs. Ike and I both eat some form of meat, chicken I think, through it is a possibility it could be ostrich as Lucy, Cole and the twins eat mashed up fruits. Lucy now adores apples, Cole as always, cherries and the twins, little grapes. So happy I don't have to talk in a stupid baby voice to get the twins to eat, I convince them to eat as making Mr. Snuggles "eat". Ike clears away the food and in no time are as energetic as me when I got my nickname. Hours later, they are down for the night. As we leave the nursery, I pause a second before closing the door, knowing Lucy's still awake. I give Ike a sweet smile and use one of our favorite sayings.

"Hey my little O'Malley's, you may not know this but, Blink loves you, Star loves you, Sketch and Davey love you," I say as Ike finishes.

"Butta Fingas and Mike love you, Smalls and Twig love you, and, most importantly, Mommy and I love you." And with that he closes the door giving me a long lingering kiss.

"Hey Ike," I say uneasily as we change for bed, he looks up at me as I continue. "I'm a little concerned about something."

"And by that I'm assuming that something is Lucy," he states.

"Exactly," I reply. "Anyways, so when we were out selling with Star, she had her eyes trained on a boy and she said she wanted to marry him."

"Really," he asks as I nod.

"Well. Not exactly, I asked her what she was staring at and she pointed to the direction of the little kid and I asked why she was staring at him. She says it's because I stare at you this way," I say pausing for a second as Ike blushes at this. "Then she was like, I want to marry Daddy. But I was like; you can't marry him because I'm married to him. And then all of the sudden she said 'I want to marry that kid'. Ike she doesn't even know who that kid was."

"Well, I guess she's at that stage where she's thinking of what she wants to be ten years from now. " Ike states.

"Ike, can you do me a really big favor?" I ask politely.

"Anything," he says a little nervously.

"I know it's really early, but I want you to get Lucy a purity ring. She may not know what it's all about now, but I do know it is something that would change her life." I say remembering mine like I got it yesterday.

"_Laura, do you love me?" Daddy would always ask when I was younger, I was daddy's little girl if you hadn't noticed already. Mom tells me this tradition starts when we first learn to talk until we're ten; thus my brother had one year left. It was our little daily habit that when he would come home from the factory he would ask me this question and I would always reply._

"_I love you Daddy." Then I would reach into his pocket to find a little surprise: whether it would be penny candy or a nickel, anything would excite me. Today it was a tiny ring I saw a few days ago at a cheap store. I remember wearing it every day no matter how much it hurt because I was growing. A few weeks later we did the daily routine and I sat on his knee._

"_Laura, do you love me?"_

"_I love you Daddy."_

"_Then give me your ring." He said with a small twinkle in his eye. I noticed but I was too upset to give it up._

"_Daddy, I love you but please let me keep my ring." _

"_Trust me," he whispers. I reluctantly took it off and gave it to him as I reached into his pocket and saw the gold one. _

"_It's so pretty, I should have given it to you sooner!"_

"_Now Laura, this is ring is real gold so don't misplace it, which I know you wouldn't." he smiles as he kisses my cheek. "Anyways, this is a special kind of ring, it's a purity ring." He says, sliding it on my ring finger on my right hand versus my left. "It means you will save sex for marriage and I know you don't know what it is yet but I need you to promise me you will right?"_

"_Yes Daddy, thank you." I smile as I bounce up from his knee._

"_I don't ever want you to take it off until your wedding band replaces it ok? Don't ever let anyone take it from you promise?" he asks for a second._

"_I promise Dad," I smile as I watch it glimmer on my finger. _

I'm not actually sure what happened to it but I think I had to sell it for good money when I was eight because it was pure gold, like the case to Ike's pocketwatch. But by the time I wanted a new one, my uncle didn't know where to ship it to me. I wouldn't have any use for it now either, but maybe I can say I lost it or something, because that's just probably something I would do.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hype, Hype, Hype, Hype!" Ike awakes me as he pokes my side as I bring his pillow over my head.

"What do you want?" I ask grumpily.

"Happy Birthday!" he starts as I jolt awake.

"It's my birthday?" I ask stupidly. My birthday, this means I'm sixteen today what a joy.

"So what do you want?" he asks as I realize if I asked for anything I would get it. I think hard as a million things race through my mind. "Hey now Hype, we aren't rich or anything so… think hard for something kind of cheap."

"What? Oh no, I was just thinking about what food I'm going to eat later," I smile guessing I've been wearing my 'deep thought' face as Ike sits next to me.

"Nice try Hype, so what do you want?" he repeats. "I got what I wanted for my birthday so to thank you for that what do you want?" I think a second, very complicated question.

"Oh ok, so you know how people say to follow your dreams?" I ask as he looks at me with a blank stare. He breaks into a smile knowing my answer will be a little crazy. "My dream is to go back to sleep." He laughs at the answer as he tucks me back in.

"Alright Hype, I'll let you sleep a little more so you can conjurer up a dream and I'll go by you something while you do ok?" he says as I nod smiling, "and that means you better be ready for some cake and special attention," he smirks as he touches the top of the door frame on his way out.

_When you're sixteen, you're going to find a boy and you're going to believe he's everything to you. You're going to believe that you're a modern princess that will be bowed down to and loved by everyone. You're going to overthink and over feel everything; but what if it's not? What if you do something that gets you arrested? What if that boy breaks up with you because you have always been a little different? What would happen if you died when you were sixteen?_

I tear up as I hear my Dad's voice in my head so clearly and I thank Ike for jolting me awake as he looks at me with depression.

"What did you dream about?" he asks as he sets a bag at my feet.

"It was nothing," I lie as I reach for the bag. Inside there was cupcake with candles and matches. Then a little gift box wrapped with newspaper. Ike takes the cupcake, matches and candles from me as he opens the candles, sticks one into the heart of the cup cake and lights it for me as I sit there awkwardly as he sings me happy birthday. Because we both love happy little surprises, he makes up a second and third verse along with a chorus al while dancing with a broom as I laugh.

"Ok," he pants, crawling into bed next to me, "now, close your eyes and with really hard." I nod my head as I wait for him to tell me to, when he does I go to blow out the candle as I notice it's already out as I look at Ike smiling cheekily.

"What was that for?" I ask playfully as I tap his cheek rather than slapping him full out.

"Well, you aren't getting that wish," he laughs as he sticks another candle in and lights the match.

"Don't blow out this candle, or else I will slap you," I threat as I close my eyes, and then opening them to find it has been blown out again.

"Ike!" I scream as I slap him as he hits his face into his pillow.

"What?" he asks as I make a weird face at him.

"I told you I would, so quit blowing out my candle!" I laugh.

"Your sixteen right?" he asks, just to make sure.

"Yes, yes I am."

"Then we're going to keep doing this until we stick all sixteen candles on it one at a time, light them and you get the last candle." He explains as I think of something ridiculously weird.

"Sure Ike, I'll get the last candle," I joke as I pull out the burnt one and stick in a fresh one. It's pink this time as I light the candle. The cycle happens at least thirteen times as I finally pull out the last candle in the package.

"Last candle Hype, you ready?" he asks.

"I think I'd rather eat the cupcake," I smile as I light the match and set the candle on fire. I already know what I want and I don't have to close my eyes to think about it as I successfully blow out the candle, the only one I got to today. Eating my special cupcake, I wipe some of the icing on Ike's nose as I clean up the candles and realize we have extra matches, just as I realize it thought Ike takes them away from me.

"You'll light the apartment on fire!" he says as he puts them on a high shelf as I frown at him.

"I'm not short my size is cute!" I yell at him as I playfully rolls his eyes at me. I reach for the box as I take of the top and find a really pretty necklace; the only downside is that's its orange. It's an ok color to me but it really doesn't match anything of mine at all. I try to look my happiest as Ike puts it on me. He looks me in the eyes right after as I see them twinkle.

"you don't like it do you?" he whispers.

"I really don't, orange and me really don't get along." I whisper.

"It's ok, I ordered one that was blue, we have to give this one back," he whispers onto my ear as he kisses my cheek, "Happy birthday sweetie."

"Hey Ike, guess what my wish was?" I ask as he bites his lip. Suddenly, like he read my mind he grins as I dress and walk to the bar.

"So what about the kids?" Ike asks as start to hold hands down to the street.

"We forgot the kids!" I yell as we rush back and out of breath, I send Ike to get our favorite wine. Going into the nursery, the kids are all awake and hungry as I bring baby food into the nursery and feed them this way, so much easier than dragging them into the kitchen. Soon Ike returns with two bottles of wine and a card for me as we return to the bedroom to drink ourselves silly.


End file.
